Prey

For this painting, I wanted to play with the juxtaposition of predator and prey. The girl, young, small and seemingly injured faces off against the spotted sea snake. Focusing on the gesture of her hands and the expression on her face, I wanted to create the feeling that she was casting a spell over the creature, almost hypnotizing as she lured it in with the scent of blood in the water. And while her sharp toothed eel twines around her protectively, I wanted her to remain the dominant figure of the two; the true predator.